Supervisory mechanism



De. 23, 1930. 1. w. KNIGHT I SUPERVISORY MECHANISM Filed Nov. 28. 192'?-vwemtoz $51 Alb awe (M0135) Patented Dec. 23, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE IRA WV. KNIGHT, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR IO DEIEXWATCHCLOOK CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARESUPEBVISORY MECHANISM Application filed November 28, 1927. Serial No.236,152.

This invention relates to a supervisory mechanism for preventing the useof a record.- ing instrument when the position of a device which isbeing reported upon by the use of the recording instrument is in otherthan a normal desired position.

The supervisory mechanism is well adapted for use with a valve and inconnection with automatic sprinkler systems. Because of the desirabilityof knowing whether such a valve is open or shut, watchmen are employedfor inspecting the same and it has been proposed that a watchman carry arecording clock adapted to be aifected by a recording instrumentassociated with a valve. The proposed scheme necessitates that therecording instrument at the valve be ordinarily arranged so that awatchman would be unable to produce a record if the valve be in a closedposition or partly closed position, and under such conditions therecording instrument at the valve would be maintained inaccessible.

Since the record carried by a recording clock conveys a definite storyindicating the diligence of the watchman and/or the condition of thevalves when used in carrying out the scheme above outlined, it becomesnecessary to have supervisory mechanisms at the valves which cannot betampered with and which will function with absolute certainty.

Among the objects of this invention is to provide a supervisorymechanism of a simple construction which may be easily aflixedto anordinary type of valve without the necessity of extensive alterations orchanges in the permanent installation of the valve.

Another object resides in producing a supervisory mechanism of few partswhich nevertheless serves efficiently as a supervisory mechanism whichcannot be circumvented without detection.

Other objects appear in the detailed description of the invention and inthe claims.

Fig. 1 illustrates a sectional side view of a supervisory mechanism asalfixed to an ordinary type of valve.

Fig. 2 illustrates an end view of the supervisory mechanism with itscover in place.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the supervisory mechanism taken on line 33of Fig. 1.

Flg. 4 1s an end view of the supervisory .mechanism.

and the yoke comprises side-pieces 11, 12 extending upwardly. Therotatable nut 13 is capable of being manipulated by means of a handWheel 14 for the purpose of raising or lowering the valve stem 15.Movementof the valve stem causes the valve gate to be opened or closedas is well understood.

The bracket or frame of my supervisory mechanism comprises a T-shapedmember having oppositely extending flanges 16 and 17 which are slottedso as to enable the supervisory mechanism to be bolted or similarlyfastened to the yoke of the valve. The supervisory mechanism is intendedto be used with valves of different sizes so it is desired that theseflanges be of such length as to enable elongated slots 18 19 to beforned therein. Fig, 2 illustrates the manner in which this mechanism isintended to be ailixed to a valve.

The bolts 20 which are used should be such as to be capable of beinglocked when the mechanism is mounted in place. Ordinary sealed wires aresuitable for this purpose. In the present disclosure of the inventionthe stem portion 21 of the T-shaped member is of a hollow design whichis closed at the flange and except for a hole 22 of suflicient size topermit longitudinal movement of a rigidbody member or bar 23therethrough.

Extending from the open end of the hollow stem is a recording instrumentor key 24, the base portion of which is supported within the hollow stem21 and is held therein by bolt 5 extending through opposite walls of thehollow stem and through the base portion of the recording key. It isdesirable that this bolt be permanently locked in place by some devicesuch as a sealed wire in order that the key may not be removed at willfrom its permanent location within the hollow stem, Fig.

3. The recording instrument itself does not .ol understanding thepresent invention it is only necessary to know that the shank of awatchmans time recorder or patrol clock must fit over the recording key24 for a definite length of the key before the key may be ope 'ated toproduce a record. My invention involves mechanism which will prevent arecord being produced in the manner outlined under certain conditions,and accomplishes the desired result by relative positioning of someadjacent member or bar 23 and recording key 24L. lVhile the recordingkey 24 could be movable, in the present disclosure it is permanentlyanchored within its bracket or frame.

Vhen affixing the supervisory mechanism to a valve it is necessary thatthe valve stem 15 be slotted in order to accommodate the stem end of thebar 23 for a predetermined position of the valve as when the valve is inan open position. For the purpose of the present disclosure it isintended that the valve be entirely open when the bar 23 is capable ofentering within the slot 26, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5. The slot26 should be only long enough to accommodate the end of the bar 23 whenthe valve is fully open, but it is readily understandable that the slotin the stem 15 could be lengthened or variously placed so as to enablethe recording mechanism to be operated for other than a fully openedposition of the valve. However, in its adaptation for use with sprinklersystems, it is desirable to be able to make a record on a watchmansrecording clock whenever the valve is fully open and under no otherconditions. As has been pointed out hereinbeit'ore, a watchman in makinghis rounds will carry with him a recording clock which has a hollowshank 27 adapted to be fitted over the working end of recording key 24,as in Fig. 3. The length of the stem portion 21 in relation to thelength of the recording key is such that the shank 27 of the recordingclock may be fitted over the recording key and thereby cause a record tobe produced upon the dial of the recording clock, Fig. 3. Should it notbe possible to advance the shank 27 of the recording clock to its fulldistance over the working end of the recording key, as shown in Fig. 3,then it would not be possible to produce a record on the recording clockcarried by the watchman. The bar 23 is designed for accomplishing thisobjective by rendering the recording key inaccessible for recordproducing purposes.

When the valve stem 15 is in other than a fully opened position, thestem end of the bar 23 will come up against the largest or threadedportion of the stem 15 and the key end of the bar 23 will extend beyondthe open end of the hollow stem 21. Under these conditions it will beimpossible to [it the shank 27 of the recording clock to its operableposition about the recording key because 01' obstruction by the bar 23.be impossible for the watchman to make a record upon the dial carriedwithin the patrol clock, and by reading the dial one will be informedthat at a scheduled time the valve was either not fully open or else thewatchman failed to make proper inspection. In either event it would benecessary to inspect the valve in order to open it should it be found tobe closed. Presumably it a watchman found that he was unable to make arecord when he made his inspection, he would open the valve and therebyrender the supervisory mechanism operative for the purpose of permittinga record to be made. The patrol clock dial would show that the valve wasopen at the time of the last inspection, the desired condition of thevalve.

For the purpose of aiiording protection for the recording instrument 24there is provided a cover 28 which is adapted to be slid over the hollowstem 21 and fully protect the recording key from weather conditions.Slots are provided in this cover in order to accommodate the variousflanges and the outer extremities of the bolt 25. A chain 29 may beprovided for the purpose of keeping the cover in condition forsupervisory mechanism.

I wish it to be understood that I do not restrict myself unessentiallywith the foregoing description but contemplate such changes andmodifications within the scope of the appended claims as may be found tobe advisable.

hat I claim is:

l. A supervisory mechanism comprising, in ('On'lbllHLtlOH, a recordingkey, a bracket for supporting said recording key, and means mountedadjacent said recording key and adapted to be positioned in respect tosald recording key to prevent operation thereof without changing theposition of the key relative to said supporting bracket.

2. A supervisory mechanism comprising, in combination, a recording key,a bracket, means for supporting said recording key on said bracket, anda rigid-body member supported by said bracket alongside of saidrecording key, said member being positionable relative to said recordingkey whereby it may obstruct operation of said recording key forrecording purposes.

3. A supervisory mechanism adapted to be ailixed to a valve having alongitudinally movable stem and comprising a frame mem- Accordingly, itwill i ber having a plurality of flanges by which said frame member maybe affixed in definite relation with the valve, a recording key, meansextending from said flanges for supporting said recording key, and a barcarried by said means and mounted so as to permit movement thereofrelative to said recording key, said bar being of such length in respectto said recording key as to render said recording key inoperable whensaid bar contacts the outside surface of the longitudinally movablestem.

4. A supervisory mechanism adapted to be aflixed to a valve having alongitudinally movable stem and manipulative means for moving the stemcomprising, a T-shaped member with oppositely extending flanges havingslots therein whereby said member may be affixed to the valve, saidT-shaped member having a hollow central stem, a recording key having oneend thereof permanently fixed within said hollow stem and a bar adjacentsaid key and slidably mounted within said hollow stem and adapted to eX-tend beyond the end of said hollow stem for the purpose of preventingoperation of said recording key by a recording clock.-

5. A supervisory mechanism adapted to be affixed to a valve having alongitudinally movable stem and manipulative means for moving the stemcomprising, a T-shaped casting having means whereby said casting may bepermanently affixed in relation to the valve, a stem comprising aportion of said casting, a recording instrument having one end supportedby said stem, and a bar slidably mounted on the stem, the movable stemof the valve having a notch for accommodating the end of said bar, saidbar being of such length as to permit operation of said key when theother end of said bar is opposite said notch.

6. A supervisory mechanism adapted to be affixed to a valve having alongitudinally movable stem and manipulative means for moving the stemcomprising, a T-shaped member with oppositely extending flanges and ahollow central stem, a recording key having a portion thereof extendingfrom within said hollow stem, and a bar slidably mounted adjacent saidrecording key, said bar being eXtendable beyond either end of saidhollow stem and being of such length as to extend beyond the end of saidhollow stem when the bar is in contact with. the surface of the movablevalve stem.

7. A supervisory mechanism comprising, in combination, a bracket,cooperatively related members including a recording key and rigid-bodymember, and means support ing said recording key and said rigid-bodymember on said bracket and in sliding relation to each other, said meansproviding rigid iupport on said bracket of one of said memers.

8. A supervisory mechanism adapted to be affixed to a valve having alongitudinally movable stem and manipulative means for moving the stemcomprising, a frame memher, a recording key, means extending from saidframe member and rigidly supporting said recording key, and a barcarried by said means and mounted so as to permit move ment of the barrelative to said recording key, said bar being of such length in respectto said recording key as to render said recording key inoperable whensaid bar contacts the outside surface of the longitudinally movablestem.

In testimony whereof I hereto aifix my signature.

IRA W. KNIGHT.

